Tour st petersburg

If you travel to St Petersburg you can not miss to visit its suburbs with their parks and palaces (that used to be residences of Russian Emperors) that surround the city like a necklace of precious pearls.

Every suburb has its own atmosphere and story. Old guidebooks mention a story that happened at the time of Catherine the Great. The French Ambassador, who was invited to the Catherine’s Palace at Tsarskoye Selo for the first time, was struck by its beauty. He compared the palace to a jewel saying that it was so valuable and it was impossible to find a right setting for it. Peterhof, which is usually the essential part of most of tours to St Petersburg, has gained the title of “The Russian Versailles”. Chinese Palace at Oranienbaum, an exquisite mixture of exotic and classical styles, was called a “wonder of wonders”. Gatchina, according to contemporaries, was called suburban Hermitage. St Petersburg suburbs are not only an encyclopedia of different architectural styles and epochs. They tell you about the history of the Russia and its people, real facts and legends.

The Russian Versailles

Peterhof is often called “The Russian Versailles” or the “The City of Fountains”. The complex of the Grand Palace and Upper and Lower Parks was constructed during the reign of Peter the Great between 1710 and 1720. The biggest attraction of Peterhof is its unique fountain system, which was constructed under the supervision of Peter himself. The ensemble of Grand Gascade, consisting of 64 fountains and more that a hundred sculptures and decorative pieces is totally fascinating. All in all there are four cascades and more than a hundred fountains in the parks of Peterhof.

The Town of Muses

The history of Tsarskoe Selo (Tsar’s Village) goes back to the time of Peter the Great. First constructions started here in the first quarter of the 18th century. The Catherine’s Palace big, fancy and at the same time elegant and airy was designed by Francesco Rastelli for the daughter of Peter the Great, Empress Elizabeth. Later at the time of Catherine the Great Charles Cameron added rooms and pavilions in antique style: Agate Rooms, The Cold Baths and Cameron’s Gallery. Tsarskoe Selo is sometimes called “the town of muses”: this place is connected with many prominent poets and novelists of Russia including Alexander Pushkin, Anna Akhmatova and others.

In Harmony with Nature

Romantic and peaceful Pavlovsk is different to Peterhof and Tsarskoe Selo. It is famous for one of the Paul’s Palace, Farm, Rose Pavillion, Apollo Colonnade and other pavilions and monuments in on of the largest parks in Europe. Pavlovsk is a place where architecture is in harmony with nature. Paul’s Palace is the only summer palace in St Petersburg suburbs that has been fully restored after WWII.

The Suburban Hermitage

According to the legend, the name “Gatchina” comes from the word “gat” (log path across a marsh). Gatchina has a gothic flavor - its main structure Gatchina Palace resembles a medieval English castle. It was built by Antonio Rinaldi between 1766 and 1781. The palace is faced with Pudos stone, which changes colour depending on the light. On sunny days the Gatchina Palace looks golden, and when it is cloudy the palace gets cold steel gray shade.

With White Night tour st petersburg you can see the most famous st petersburg attractions as well as off the-beaten-track sights in the city and its environs. No matter if you are on a short business trip or come on a holiday in st petersburg it is possible to include at least one of the off-the-beaten path st petersburg attractions in the itinerary. The team of White Night tour st petersburg will be delighted to assist you with arrangement of accommodation, tours, theatre and museum tickets and visa documents. We are always happy to provide you with the detailed information regarding your trip or answer your questions. You will get a personalized service, a customized tour designed around your interests, private A/C sedans or mini vans to transport you around and a professional licensed guide assigned only to you. Our guides’ experience and passion for St Petersburg will ensure you have the best possible time the Venice of the North. We look forward to providing you with a fun, interesting and entertaining holiday in st petetrsburg.